Seducing Cinderella
by L0VECRISIS
Summary: Kuroko Tetsuya has been the punching bag for life ever since he could remember. He is constantly sacrificing himself for those he cares about to the point where it ultimately destroys him. Change is always difficult but will a fateful encounter finally give him the opportunity to live the way that he wants to? GoM/Kuroko Kagami/Kuroko UniversityAU


**AN: Hopefully this isn't too OCC. I'm just posting this for fun and to work on sticking to things.**

**Cover image credit: ****Shea (pixiv) **

* * *

In the tiny country of Japan, with a mere population of 127.6 million, Kuroko Tetsuya lived a routine lifestyle. Every morning, he woke up at exactly 5 AM with frozen toes and nose due to the inadequate heating system in his tiny one room apartment building. Tetsuya brushed his teeth with exactly twenty strokes for each row. He tried to tame his unruly bed hair that seemed to defy gravity. He dressed in simple solid color clothing and buttoned from top down for time efficiency. Tetsuya left the building at 7 AM and boarded the public bus with a fuji apple at hand to downtown Tokyo where he began his first of many part time jobs as a dishwasher for an American style restaurant. At 17 years and counting, Kuroko Tetsuya lived just to survive.

"Oi Kuroko! The next car needs a waxing on the wheels get to it."

"Of course. Sorry I'll get it done."

"I want a mocha frappe and an Americano."

"That will be 2500 yen, please."

He had lunch at 11 AM. A simple rice ball stuffed with leftover scraps from last night's dinner and a complimentary vanilla milkshake from his Maji Burger shift. He ate alone. He had no friends in any of his workplaces just fellow co-workers and that was all. Some shifts were hectic and customers seemed to out for blood, other shifts were slow paced and he sneaked in little naps or downed energy drinks to keep himself from passing out. The ever present dark circles grew darker at each hour but his carefully polite speech and mannerisms kept anyone from asking questions due to sheer awkwardness from even starting a conversation.

At 11 PM, Tetsuya finished his work for the day and bowed respectfully to the owner of bookstore. Owner-san was kind and treated his workers well. "Good work today, Kuroko-kun."

Even if his day was long and he was exhausted, working at Imayoshi Bookshop helped him relieve some of the stress that he usually bottled up. He has always loved reading. Mystery novels in particular were his favorite. In a workplace where he could read and work at the same time it was enough to make him happy. The shop was homey as well. A well lit place full of pretty lamps and squashy armchairs. Interesting treasures occupied the various corners of the space like the old record player or the toy model of a 1968 Pontiac Firebird. It smelled like ink and the black tea that the owner liked to drink. It even had a working fireplace during the winter which made the shop all toasty and warm; with the snow falling outside it seemed like something straight out of a fairy tale.

"Thank you, Sir." Kuroko bowed again to receive his paycheck with both hands.

Owner-san smiled, the crow feet at the corners of his eyes and puckered mouth. "Kuroko-kun, I know you're a very diligent and hard worker but I've noticed when you were sorting the books earlier your hands were shaking."

Tetsuya looked up immediately and noticed the subtle change in the atmosphere. _Is owner-san going to fire me?_ The paycheck in its crisp white envelope felt even more precious because it was going to be the last one. Dread quickly overcame him but Kuroko inwardly grit his teeth and mentally prepared himself. As much as the thought saddened him it meant he would have to find another part-time job. Time was just the tricky variable.

"I don't know what's going on in your life right now and it's probably not an old man's business to ask. But you're still young and if you continue to push yourself like this you'll leave this plane of existence faster than I will." The owner took Tetsuya's hands into his own rough and worn ones.

"Ano…..if you're firing me I'd rather have you not sugarcoat it. I understand my incompetence has compromised your efficiency. I apologize." Tetsuya said warily.

Owner-san blinked and then let out a hearty laugh. Tetsuya awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying to figure out what was so funny.

"Open the envelope." Owner-san said.

Tetsuya was utterly confused but he did so without any questions. He turned the light green check over to read the same neat handwriting that listed out his wage only to be shocked by the number listed there. "Sir, this must be a mistake. This amount is more than three times what my usual wage should be."

"I know Kuroko-kun. This isn't something for me to decide but I hope that you will take it. My grandson attends a very prestigious university called Amatsukami Academy. He's in his second year."

Kuroko nodded unsure about which direction this conversation was going to go. _Amatsukami Academy_? _It's more than just prestigious. The nation's most wealthiest, the prodigies, and extraordinary members of the upper elite of society attend. Usually the cream of the crop of the nation's top five elite high schools are guaranteed admittance. All students are groomed like prized horses to take the thrones whether it is in the political, economical, or media sphere. They are the gods of Japan. _

"Every new year, the school has something called the Dictum Outstart Generis Scholarship award. The alumni of each graduating class contribute donations towards this scholarship fund to help four students of low economic standing have a chance to attend this school. Kuroko-kun, I want to give you the chance to change the cycle which you're stuck in."

"Sir…."

"It hurts me to see you destroy yourself by working so much. You didn't think I saw you falling asleep at the counter or hitting your legs to stop them from shaking? Kids your age have dreams and aspirations to propel themselves into the real world. I know you need the money for something and that something is preventing you from going after your own ambitions. Think of this as a promotion. You can study for the entrance and scholarship exam using the books we have here. And of course when summer starts, my grandson will come home to visit me. I'll convince him to tutor you."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to say no after your carefully prepared speech, sir." Tetsuya deadpanned.

Owner-san let out another bellowing laughing fit, clutching onto his stomach and wiping the tears from his eyes. "So is that a yes then?"

At that moment, Tetsuya felt something deep inside himself spark like the heat of an ember. He thought he'd lost it a long time ago after endless rounds of plunging his hands into dirty dishwater and hearing the clacking noise of the cash register. It was a vague and almost foreign sense of hope. It was frightening.

"Thank you very much. Your kindness knows no bounds. But I need some time to think about it. It just seems so abrupt."

"Of course. Keep the money. Take your time thinking about it."

At 12 PM, Kuroko Tetsuya laid in the futon after going through his banking notes, brushing his teeth, and setting his alarm. Dinner tonight was a single bowl of miso soup and a piece of grilled mackerel. But unlike any other night, he found himself gazing out the small window of his one room apartment. From where he was he couldn't see anything except for a thin black strip of the night sky and the harsh yellow glare from the streetlights. Listening to the steady drip of the leaky sink and the sounds of the television coming from the room next door; he couldn't help but feel that things were going to be drastically different for the next following months.

* * *

Today was Sunday.

Tetsuya only had two part time shifts today so he woke up early to head out and complete them. The clock's hand finally hit 1 PM and he quickly brushed any more loose debris he could find into the pan while simultaneously undoing the knot of the apron around his neck. He patiently waited for the next person to come and take over his shift. The girl came late and ran right past him when he tried to hand her the apron she was supposed to wear. So he just placed it by the counter where she could see it and quietly checked out.

He got on the bus and checked his watch. Visiting hours were normally from 1 PM to 4 PM. He knew there was no reason to rush but the sense of urgency never failed to come right behind him. It was now almost 2 PM, he left the and got off at his stop where he walked three blocks and came front of a block-like grey building. There were no flowers or trees anywhere just slabs of concrete and fences.

He spent five minutes trying to catch the attention of the new secretary. The old one seemed to have retired.

"GAH! What the fuck. Seriously, are you trying to make me join the insane asylum?!" The woman seethed, popping her bubblegum and at the same time, discreetly shoving a tabloid magazine under a stack of files.

"My name is Kuroko Tetsuya. I'm here to see patient 108."

"Oh. That one? You should just give up she's not going to get better you know."

He received his visitor's pass and walked forward to get cleared by security. This too, was a routine. The same empty hallway with incandescent lights that were too bright. The smell of cleaning fluid and disinfectant were overpowering it made his head hurt. Counting his steps even though he already knew exactly how many it would take to reach her room. 410. Swiping his pass, the door unlocked with a beep, he stepped inside being sure to close the door as gently as he could. The room looked and felt the same as the hallway with the stark lights reflecting off the white walls. Sterile and washed of any color.

"Okaa-san?"

He wasn't expecting an answer but he turned to look at the figure huddled under the starched blankets of an iron wrought bed. As he walked towards her; his eyes carefully looked over her. It seems she had gained a little bit more weight which pleased him but her cheeks were still sunken and she was so pale. It was almost like looking at a paper cutout of the cheerful woman in his memories. Her hair, which used to be the same powder baby blue as his own, was lackluster and already streaked with white. Tetsuya carefully reached for her shaking hands under the covers. It was freezing to the touch as usual. He spent nearly an hour just sitting with her and holding her hands in silence. The only indication she gave that she was aware of his presence was her piercing gaze. While everything else about her physically and mentally was faded, like the running ink in wet books, her eyes were still a strong pigmented gold. Occasionally, when the nurse came in to administer the daily drug dosage he would notice that her stare shifted from him to the nurse. He had overheard many of the staff complaining about how it unnerved them. Even though she was the patient they all agreed it made them feel they were the ones being overtly analyzed and picked apart.

He ran his calloused thumb over her fragile bird like knuckles. Giving her hands a final gentle squeeze he stood up to leave.

"Daiichi." He barley heard it.

It was a watery whisper creaky with exhaustion. Her dry and cracked lips parted and she let out a long sigh.

"Wha-? Okaa-san, what did you say?" His heart nearly plummeted to the floor in shock. Normally, his visits involved just silence with both of them still like statues as he tried to pull her back from the world she had left him for.

But she became silent again as if nothing happened. Her continuous stare bore right through him and he knew even though for a second it seemed she woke up; he lost her again.

"Ano...Kuroko-san? Your visiting hours have ended. You're going to have to leave now."

He numbly rose from his seat and didn't pay attention to anything the nurse was telling him as she walked him back out of the hallway. When he boarded the bus with the medical fees clutched in his hand; what his dear mother managed to say was the only thought that plagued his mind.

_Daiichi? That's a name...who is it? Someone that my mother knew? A precious person? She never said my name...it must be someone important to her. Father maybe? She's never talked about him though. I know nothing about him._

He slept fitfully that night, utterly confused and conflicted, with that name rolling through the edges of his mind.


End file.
